A Life on the Line
by thedemonsangel
Summary: Far from Konoha, Naruto is severely injured in battle, and sometimes it is impossible to immediately return home, but if help is too late, Sasuke might have to say goodbye. Pairing: SasuNaru and/or NaruSasu


Okay, so here's something I've been working on for a little while, and I'm planning it to be in two parts. The second part has already been started, so (hopefully) that will be out soon.

Pairing: SasuNaruSasu

Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto characters.

* * *

He couldn't feel his arms or legs…everything felt numb. He couldn't hear much else other than his rather slow heartbeat. Everything seemed like he was in some sort of drug induced dream…but the searing pain he felt only moments before told him otherwise.

Naruto was certain that he should still be feeling pain, but he always heard Sakura mention something about how some pain wasn't felt once a body went into shock.

Was that what happened to him?

Was his body in such a state of shock that he no longer felt the pain that he knew was there?

Or was he beyond shock and now dying?

Where his eyes open?

Trying to concentrate enough to see what was happening, Naruto realized that, yes, his eyes were open. However, with the addition of numbness and lack of hearing, his eyesight wasn't faring any better. Smears of color filled his vision, but the colors were fading and blending into each other, and there was a black rim coming in from the outer edges of his sight.

Then, momentarily, Naruto thought that he had lost his sight, or closed his eyes and didn't realize it, but then he could vaguely feel his limbs flopping uselessly as gravity took control and a smear of dull green mixed with black passed his eyes before everything dimmed even more and he stopped concentrating on his limited sight.

If Naruto was rational, then he would have realized that he was lifted off of the ground. He would have also realized that he was bring screamed at by a familiar voice…being told to just hold on.

* * *

Placed on a makeshift bed, Naruto was unconscious inside a tent in the middle of nowhere. It was nothing compared to a proper hospital room, but it was the best they could do while so far away from Konoha. It didn't help that they were still in danger, but they couldn't move locations with Naruto as injured as he was. Moving too much could cost the blonde his life.

It was for these reasons, and more, that Sasuke was sitting beside an unconscious Naruto. There was nothing else Sakura could do for the blonde until she recovered from the battle and trying to heal the blonde earlier. She was drained, so Sasuke couldn't pester her anymore, despite worrying for Naruto's life, and there was no one else trained as a medic. They sent a message back to the village for help, but it would take at least two days before help arrived…and that is assuming that there were no complications on the way.

Sasuke was thinking this, and many other concerns as he watched over the oddly vulnerable form of Naruto. He was worried that help wouldn't get there before the enemy found them and another battle ensued. He worried that the blonde would be an easy target if that were to happen.

Then there was the problem of whether or not Naruto would even make it through the night.

Sakura warned him; she told Sasuke that there was a good chance that Naruto just wouldn't be able to hold on long enough for either her to recover or for help to get there, but he just couldn't accept that. Naruto couldn't die.

Sasuke wouldn't let him.

Glaring at the immobile blonde nearby, Sasuke tried to silently convey his refusal to allow Naruto die, ignoring the fact that he had no ability to help Naruto heal, but he could do what he always did. He could challenge the blonde, even if the chances of being heard were slim, Sasuke would never be able to live with himself if he didn't try _something_.

Even so…what could he say?

Naruto was unconscious, barely clinging to life and Sasuke couldn't think of a thing to say. He then realized that it could be the last time he could ever say anything to the blonde. Of course Sasuke cursed at his mind for even_ thinking_ that Naruto wouldn't always be there, but that was the harsh reality that he had to face.

Naruto might not always be there.

Sasuke might have to live without his best friend.

Without his lover.

He would be alone again.

Sasuke's thoughts caused him to have a panic attack. Taking deep breaths, Sasuke tried to calm his rapidly beating heart, as well as the nausea that suddenly hit him. He couldn't allow himself to think that way.

But the blood didn't help.

Blood still stained Sasuke's clothes and hands. It was a mixture of his blood, the blood of fallen enemies, and Naruto's blood. He had never had a fear of blood, but the fact that Naruto's blood stained his hands once again—despite it not being his fault this time—greatly bothered him.

"Damn it!" Sasuke hissed.

Getting up from his spot next to Naruto, the Uchiha stormed out of the tent, hoping that fresh air would help him calm down.

Sasuke just hoped that their enemies wouldn't find them before help arrived.

* * *

"We have to move Naruto, now!"

"But—"

"Shut it, Sasuke, its chance his health now or leave him to die!"

Sasuke immediately shut up. He knew that this was true, especially since their enemies were spotted nearby, but Naruto's injuries could be aggravated and cost his life. What was worse…Sasuke was the one who had to move their teammate. He understood Sakura's reasoning…he _could _carry Naruto easier and faster than Sakura could, but he was afraid that he would be the cause of further injuring the blonde.

"Sasuke, there really isn't time to debate this in your head," Sakura whispered harshly. "We have to move now, or there will be _no_ chance that he will make it. Now move!"

Not allowing himself to think any more on the matter, and obeying Sakura, Sasuke picked up Naruto as carefully as possible—given the circumstances—and ran. Sakura was going to linger and see if she needed to buy time for Sasuke to get Naruto to a safer location.

Sasuke just ran on instinct; he couldn't afford to think about what could happen.

* * *

The first thing he understood was the pain that was pulsing through his body. The second was the harsh breathing that was coming from someone nearby.

Slowly prying his eyes open until they were slits, but open enough to see some of his surroundings, Naruto noticed Sasuke nearby. However, it looked like Sasuke was panicking.

"Sss…."

Naruto tried to say Sasuke's name, but it came out as a hiss of air instead. Even so, it was enough to get the Uchiha's attention. Wide dark eyes locked onto blue ones, but didn't lose the panicked look as Naruto expected they would.

So, Naruto tried again.

"Sa…."

"Stop trying to speak," Sasuke demanded. "You're losing more blood, damn it, so just shut up!"

Frowning in confusion, Naruto tried to feel past the pain and realized that there was an odd, sticky warmth that was oozing down his body. Ah…so he was bleeding like Sasuke said. However, he never listened to Sasuke, and he wasn't about to start now.

"Wh-why…ssss-so…wo-wor-ried?" Naruto stuttered out.

"Your injuries reopened, idiot! You could possibly die, and you're asking why I'm worried?" Sasuke told him. "Not to mention that Sakura isn't here—"

Naruto was trying to listen…he really was, but Sasuke's voice was starting to fade in and out, almost as if someone was slowly stuffing his ears with cotton, only to have some of it fall out and repeat the process. Then, when his vision started failing, the blonde knew that he wasn't going to be easing Sasuke's fears any time soon.

"Da-dark…."

"Dark? What's dark? Naruto? Naruto! Damn it, stay awake!"

All Naruto could do at that point was give Sasuke a weak smile before allowing his consciousness to slip away once again.

* * *

By the time Sakura arrived, after shaking off their enemies once again, Naruto had slipped into a coma, as well as suffering another round of blood loss. Of course Sasuke didn't take the news of Naruto in a coma very well, demanding that she do something…_anything_ to help Naruto. What hurt was hearing that there was nothing more that she could do without help.

And so Sasuke was back to sitting beside Naruto, only this time he had something to say.

"You better not die on me," Sasuke growled. "You _can't_ leave me here alone, and don't you dare even think that I'll let you go without a fight."

At this point, the last Uchiha didn't care if he sounded crazy while talking to an unconscious person; he just wanted to know that he at least tried to get through to the blonde. Sasuke wouldn't be able to recover from losing Naruto, anyone else, yes, but not Naruto.

"I know you're stronger than this. You're too stubborn to let this kill you, so fight it, you stupid idiot!"

He knew that insulting Naruto probably wouldn't help, but it was what he was used to doing. Besides, Sasuke believed that if he turned his worry into anger, then he would be able to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

He didn't want to lose Naruto, but if help didn't come soon…Sasuke _knew_ that he would have to say goodbye.


End file.
